NPR's This American Life and Planet Money had an episode on this phenomenon as well. I think it was: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/44

NPR's This American Life and Planet Money had an episode on this phenomenon as well. I think it was: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/441/when-patents-attack https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/441/... (2011) follow up: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/496/when-patents-attack-part-two https://www.thisamericanlife.org/496/when-patents-attack-par... (2013)